NANCY KOENIGSBERG
Nancy Koenigsberg at Browngrotta Arts, Wilton, CT, May 2022
HOW TO CHANGE YOUR LIFE
Get bored in your successful business
Be confined to your bed with a bad back
Get the New School catalog
Sign up for a course you think sounds interesting
On a balmy September evening in 1974 my taxi stopped in front of a scraggly building on Greene Street. At that point I was more familiar with Paris, France than Soho, New York. The same seemed true for the cab driver. I rang the bell, struggled through the big door, and was confronted by the longest, highest staircase I had ever encountered.
Enclosure, 1992, coated copper wire, 24” x 48” x 24”
After huffing and puffing to the third floor I was greeted by Gayle Wimmer, who would be my instructor for the next three years. I was dazzled as I walked into an amazing all white space. The only color came from Gayle’s collection of textiles and the yarns she was using in her work.
Blessing, 1995, coated copper wire, 108” x 120” x 12”
Her class – off loom techniques – was magical. This for me was an easy beginning –we knitted, crocheted, and wove on frame looms. I had done all of these things for years, but never thought of it as art. Who knew? Darning is weaving and it is art! Amazing. We all thought that white studio was magical, except, the first rule was no eating or drinking in the loft, only water. From 6 to 9 PM we were happy to be learning new skills, discussing new ideas, and seeing slides of magical places Gayle had traveled, but no one had eaten.
Thirteen Nets and detail, 1999, coated copper wire and beads, 72” x 96” x 15”
A great way to bond with people is to take a stimulating class and then eat! We did just that after class for three years, September to May, and then Gayle announced that she was leaving New York. She advised us to go to our studios and work, and “if you want to get together once in a while you can do that.” So, that is what we have been doing for 42 years! Our initial group of 5 or 6 people has grown to more than 200.
Looking Glass, 2019, coated copper wire and metal foil,
12” x 12” x 1”
After a year of exchanging ideas and giving one another support, a few others heard about us and asked to join. Of course, we said yes. It was then that we realized we needed a little bit of organizing. We set up meetings using handwritten postcards instead of phone calls and thought we should have a name. It was decided that our aims were best described as the TEXTILE STUDY GROUP OF NEW YORK.
Currents, 2016, coated copper wire, 28” x 28” x 3”
We had a name, new members, and new ambition. We wanted to learn from experts in textile fields and other artists, so we began to invite a speaker to each meeting. The list of accomplished speakers and presenters now number in the hundreds.
Winter Field, 2019, coated copper wire, 48” x 48” x 1”
Next on our list was to find opportunities to show our work. This first happened at the
Tarrytown gallery of a new member. It was a first for all of us and a very exciting and
big step for the group. We went on to have several small exhibitions around New York
City. Our first big break was a juried show at the Museum of American Craft. For
that we had to raise money and we got our first lesson in the economics of art shows.
Enough to say it resulted in us becoming a non-profit organization with our very own seal of incorporation!
Alone, 2017, coated copper wire and stone, 13.5” x 9.5” x 2”
The TSGNY has gone on to have numerous exhibitions of members’ work, establish a scholarship, hold workshops to learn new techniques, and visit studios and exhibitions.
Twelve Hours, 2009, coated copper wire and beads, 24” x 24” x 8”
I marvel at what has happened and even more how it has enhanced my life with marvelous new friends who have in some cases, become like family. With some, I’ve gone to their children’s weddings and greeted the arrival of their grandchildren. It’s been an amazing journey.
What an incredible way to change your life!
I started by talking about the Textile Study Group because it has been such a major part of my creative life. It has been and is wonderful to learn from our classes and workshops and the amazing artists in our group.
After the New School classes with Gail Wimmer ended, I continued to work in my studio and enter small, juried exhibitions. Each acceptance seemed a gift. As my work became more widely known, I began to receive invitations to exhibit and I also continued to enter numerous juried exhibitions. One of the earliest was an international exhibition in Hungary. I’ve continued to exhibit internationally, at various sites in the US, and of course, locally with exhibits of the TSGNY. My work is held in numerous private and public collections. Commission work has also been engaging.
My early work was in wool and flax. As my three-dimensional pieces became larger, they became rather shaky, and I began looking for another material. From a friend, I received a bunch of telephone wire, very thin and coated with multi-colored plastic. I soon moved to thicker copper and steel wire. I loved it and have continued to work with it ever since producing both two and three-dimensional works.
The spring of 2022 brought the wonderful news that I’ve been named an American Craft Council Fellow. It’s a wonderful honor! More information is available at https://www.craftcouncil.org/programs/acc-awards
and https://www.craftcouncil.org/recognition/nancy-koenigsberg.